Tamping machine



March 19, 1929. LAUGHLIN, 5 r AL I 1,706,121

TAMPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet J,

INVENTORS. W/fnesses I mazwczmh Mi/ m t h ATTORNEYS.

March 19, 1929.

LAUGHLIN, SR., ET AL TAMPING MACHIN E Filed Sept. 1, 192' 2 Sheets-Sheet 25 9 L 1090 M. Jw/Jda/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LAiTGHLIN, SR., OF GROOKSTON, AND LLOYD M. SVJISDAL, 0F TACONITE, MINNESOTA.

'IAMIPING Application filed September This invention relates to improvements in lumping machines and more particularly to a machine for tamping the ballast for railway tracks, and the invention has as its generalol ject to provide a machine which may be readily mounted upon a railway truck and conveniently operated to quickly and uniformly tamp the ballast about the ties of the railway track and particularly about the end portions of the ties upon which the rails are supported.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide a tamping machine for the purpose stated embodying a plurality of tamping heads, and a common actuating means for all of the heads designed to operate in a manner to effect uniform tamping of the ballast by the heads.

Another object of the invention is to pro vidc, in a tamping machine of the class de scribed, novel means for effecting tamping of the ballast beneath the end portions of the ties laid on the ballast, so that, as a result of the tamping of the ballast beneath the said end portions of the ties, the track way will be more firmly supported than is the case where the ballast is tamped in the usual manner, thus insuring of greater stability of the ties and the rails supported thereby and insuring of a smoother passage of the rolling stock over the t 'ack.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a tamping machine of the class described, tamping heads so constructed that at the moment of impact of the heads with the ballast, a portion of the ballasting material will be rammed beneath the end portions of the ties, with the result that the advantages above outlined will be obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a tamping machine of the class described, novel means for holding the tampers in inactive position while the truck upon which the machine is mounted is being moved along the track, so that,at such time, there will be no disturbanceof the ballast.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine MACHINE.

1, 1927. H's-rial No. 218,930.

embodying the invention. the tempers of the machine being illustrated in elevated or idle position i Fig. is a top plan view of the machine with the tampers in the position shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine;

F ig. at is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line l-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through one of the tamper heads, the auxiliary tampers being shown in retracted position and which they will occupy when the tamper is elevated;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View through the tamper head with the parts in the position shown in Figure 5.

The tamping machine embodying the invention includes a frame structure in which the mechanism is mounted and which frame structure is indicated in general by the numeral 1, the same being adapted to be mounted in any suitable manner upon a truck to be supported for travel over the rails of the track, the ballast for which track is to be tamped by the operation of the machine. The frame 1 may be of any desired construction but preferably comprises longitudinal top and bottom beams indicated respectively by the numerals 2 and 3, upper and lower end cross pieces 4 and 5 which connectthe ends of the beams 2 and 3 re spectively, a plurality of pairs of uprights 6, located at one side of the frame structure and extending vertically between the top and bottom beams 2 and 3, and similar uprights 7 which are similarly arranged at theopposite side of the frame structure, the structure further including a plurality of pairs of cross beams S which extend transversely between the top beams 2, and also end cross beams which are indicated by the numeral 9 and which extend between the ends of the said beams 2. It will be understood of course that any desired bracing means may be employed and that, in fact, the frame structure may be modified in various ways. As previously stated, the frame structure is to be mounted upon a railway truck, and inasmuch as the manner in which it is mounted does not enter into the present invention, and is entirely a matter of choice, the drawings em- 7 bearing blocks 13 which are supported by the self is mounted.

cross pieces 8 and, if desired, similar cross pieces (not shown) and blocks located at the lower side of the frame structure, it being understood that any means found suit-able for the purpose may be employed for guiding the rods 12 in their reciprocatory movement. The tempers are normally held and urged in a downward direction through the medium of compression springs 14- which are arranged one upon each tamper rod 12, each spring bearing at its upper end against the under side of the bearing lock 13 and at its lower end against a pin 15 secured through the respective rod 12. An abutment arm 1.6 is secured upon the rod 12 of each tamper 10 and projects from the saidrod in the general direction of that side of the 'frame structure 1 at which the vertical frame members Gare located, the under side of the arm being inclinee upwardly in the direction of the outer end of the arm as indicated by the numeral 17. Bearings 18 are mounted upon. the frame members 6 and a shaft- 19 is rotatably 'journaled in these hearings and has fixed upon it, midway between its ends, a pulley 20 through the medium of which power may be transmitted to the shaft, by a belt driven from any suitable motor mounted upon the truck upon which the machine it- The shaft 19 is formed to provide, between each twe pairs of the frame members (3, a crank indicated by the numeral 21, and these cranks are designed, in the rotation of the shaft 19, to strike against andsweep along the under sides 17 of the respective abutment arms 16, so that when the shaft 19 is rotated, the crank portions 21 thereof will engage the respective abutment arms 16 thus eiiecting an upward displacement of the respective tempers against the tension of the respective springs 14-, the springs serving to. force the tampers downwardly, to cause the tamper heads 11 to impact the ballast, as the cranks'21 move past the outer ends of the respective abut ment arms 16. In order that friction between the cranks 21 and the abutment arms 16 may be reduced to a minimum, each arm is formed with a small oil duct 22 opening through the lower side 17 of the arm, and an oil cup 23 is mounted upon the upper side of the arm and is so arranged as to supply oil, by way of the duct 22, to the under side of the arm, so that a film of oil will be dis tributed over the said under side of the arm, for the purpose stated.

Preferably the cranks 21 which are next adjacent the ends of the shaft 19 are extended in the same direction, radially from the shaft, and the cranks which are located intermediate the said end crank 21, are extended radially in a diametrically opposite direction. 'lherctore, iu the rotation of the shaft 19, the end tampers will be simultaneously actuated and likewise the intermediate tampers will be simultaneously actuated. At this point it will be evident that due to the alternate simultaneous actuation of the end and intermediate tampers, no tilting thrust is imposed upon the machine or the truck upon which it is mounted.

The head 11 of each tamper 10 preterably in the nature of an integral metal casting and substantially of hollow oblong rectangular form, the head con'iprising a top 2 1, a bottom or impacting portion 25, which is flat, sides 26, and ends 27, the lower longitudinal edges of the head being preferably disposed at an angle as indicated by the numeral 28, between the lower sides of the side walls 26 of the head and the longitudinal edges of the impacting portion or bottom 25, each head being formed longitudinally of the portion 28, with a slot indicated by the numeral 29. An opening 30 is provided in the top 2st of the head and the lower endot the tamper rod 12 extends downwardly through this opening and the rod is provided at its lower end with a transverse opening through which is arranged the intermediate portion of a connecting rod 31 which serves to connect the head with the plunger, the ends of this rod projecting into vertical slots 32 provided in bosses 33 which are tern'ied upon the inner sides of the end walls 27 ot the head. At this point it will be understood that in the reciprocation of the rod 12 of any one of the tampers and in the upward movement of the rod, the ends of the rod 31 will engage in the upper ends oi the slots 32 and in this manner the tamper head 11 is carried upwardly with the rod 12. Upon down ward movement of the rod 12 and upon impact of the impacting bottom 25 of the tamper head with the ballast, the ends ot the rod 31 will engage in the lower ends of the slots 32 and the full force of the thrust exerted against the rod 12 will be transmitted to the tamper head to effect tamping of the ballast. As previously stated, the invention contemplates the provision, in connection with each of the tamper heads 11, of auxiliary tampers and each oi these tamper-s comprises an oblong rectangular head 3 1 which is slidably disposed in a respective one of the slots 29, and shanks which extend upwardly from the upper or inner edge llU of the head 3i and which are provided at their upper ends with collars 36 which pivotally lit the rod 81. It will be observed by reference to lligure 6 of the drawings that the ends of the auxiliary tamper heads 64. ride against the inner surfaces of the end rails 2"? of the main tamper head ll in which the auxiliary heads are mounted, and it will be evident that the said auxiliary heads 34: are in this manner guided in their movement within the respective main head 11. It will also be evident by reference to the drawings that when the tamper 10 is, as a whole, elevat d, and the head 11 is in lowered pr rod 12, the auxiliary tamper heads 34 will be in the retracted position shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, in which position their lower or outer edges will be substantially flush with the outer surfaces of the respecive wall portions 28 of the head 11. However, as soon as the io'ipaeting bottom of the main tamper head 11 comes in contact with the ballast, and the rod 12- is moved downwardly with respect to the head 11 to etlect engagement of the ends of the rod 31 in the lower ends of the slots 32 and thus deliver impactive force to the head 11, the auxiliary tamper heads 84lwill be shifted outwardly and downwardly through the slots 29 and the ballast material engaged by the lower edges of these heads will be packed or rammed well beneath the end portions of the tie, thus causing firm packing or tamping of the ballast material beneath the pertions of the ties which support the rails, and in this manner the invention contemplates tamping of the ballast in a way to insure of firm and substantial support of the ties.

From the foregoing and from the drawings it will be evident that when rotary motion is imparted to the shaft 19, the machine having been positioned above the track with the lumping heads 11 above the space between two relatively adjacent ties of the track, the ballast between the ties will be tampcd. in a very eflicient and uniform manner.

As previously stated, the invention coutemplates the provision of means whereby the tampers may be all held in an elevated position during the time the machine is being moved over the trackway, and this means will now be described. The means referred to embodies a pair of shafts 37 which with respect to the tamper V intermediate tamper rods 12. The tamper rods are provided near their upper ends with a lug 39 which provides a shoulder beneath which the respective crank member 38 may or 'e and will now be understood that w the 3'7 rocked or rot in to a position to dispose lie crank portions 88 upwardly inclined relation to the respective tamper rod 12, and the shaft 19 is ro tat-ed so as to effect upward movement of the tamper rod, the lugs 59 will ride p the said crank portions and engage c. the

in clearly shown in l of the drawings. At th r rod will all be sup orted in a full 2 l 'on as shown i the said gures re machine may therefore be moved re traelrway wi hout any interference on t part of the tics of the traclrway "nit arms 40 are pre'l L'ably fixed to the spending ends of the shafts 37 and have their relatively adjacent enos overlapped as shown in li igures 2 and 3 of the drawings, these ends being formed with slots ll, and

a a db s time the a pin 42 being engaged through the said slots and fixed at the upper end of it connect rod which rod at its lower end is conlected bya pivot pin t l with an operating crer l5 which may be pivot-ally mounted intermcdiatc its ends as at 46, upon one of the end frame uprights 6 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the pin 44 engaging in a slot at? formed in the inner end of the lever 45. At this point it will be evident that by operating the lever 45, the crank arms 40 may be simultaneously rocked so as to rock the corresponding shafts 37 and angular-1y adjust the crank portions 38 of said shafts to either active or inactive position with respect to the respective tamper rods 12,

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

1. In a tamping machine, a tamper comprising a rod mounted for reciprocation, a tamper head supported by the rod and having: limited movement with respect thereto, means for reciprocating the rod, an auxiliary tamper head carried by the first mentioned head, and operative connection be tween the tamper rod and the auxiliary head for effecting projection of the auxiliary head upon displacement of the main tamper head with respect to the said rod.

2. In a tamping machine, a tamper compf, a tamper rod, means for reciprocating the rod, a tamper head supported by the rod for receding movement upon impact with the material to be tamped, an auxiliary tampe head carried by the fir: mentioned tamper head, and means actuator through displacement of the first n'ientioned tamper head for effecting projection of the auxiliary head.

3. In a tamping machine, prising a tamper rod, means a tamper comfor reciprocatlit) - head in effecting projection of the auxiliary head, the auxiliary head being supported for projection beyond one lower edge of the first mentioned head and at an angle thereto.

4. In a tamping machine, a tamper comprising a reciprocating tamper rod, means for reciprocating and tripping the rod, a tan'iper head. upon the rod having oppositely located guides, a cross rod upon the tamper rod projecting at its ends into the guides and connecting the head with the tamper rod for limited displacement with respect thereto, an auxiliary tamper head mounted upon the first mentioned head and movable into and out of position to project beyond one lower margin of the first mentioned head, and a shank extending from the auxiliary head and pivotally connected with the said cross rod.

5. In a tamping machine, a series of tampers each comprising a rod mounted for reciprocation, means urging the rod of each tamper in one direction of its mmoment, a tamper head upon each rod means for reciprocating and tripping the rod, abutment shoulders upon the rods a shaft mounted hoside the rods for rocking movement, means operable to rock the shaft, and cranks upon theshaft for engagement beneath the abut ment lugs in the highest position of the tamper rods to render the tampcrs inactive.

In testimony whereof we afiix our sig natures.

JifilN LAUGHLIN, Sn. LLOYD M. SXVISDAL. 

